Temporary binder



z oai/m March 17, 1936. A. M. BARRETT TEMPORARY BINDER Original Filed Sept. l1, 1931 Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFF-ICE TEMPORARY BINDER poration .of vIllinois .Applicationseptember 11, 1931, Serial'fNo.i562,-2.09 `Renewed, June 24, 1933 3 Claims.

My :invention relateszto` temporary Vbinders and .is .more particularly concerned with a :new and improved 'locking means for :retaining loose 'leaves onpapensheets which :are assembled' with- 5 :in the binders.

'The .main .objectief 'the present.invention` 'is .to Gprovide vva .binder having adjustable paper-holdingmeains'with a new and `novel locking means it'hereor., said1tmeans`fb'eing :so arranged `and con- .structed :asto add to the :appearance and utility oi the fbinder and having certain .inherent mefchanical advantages rendering the binder fmore V.cunvenient .for use as will fbe -hereinaiter 'set forth.

'The following specific description, Vrefers lto .fa `-rnfeferred embodiment Iof .my invention and to l:severalmodifications thereof, reference :being had tto the accompanying fdrawing.

ltr-the drawing:-

'Figure 1 :is Y1a perspective view Vof :a preferred zorm of :binder embodying my invention;

'Figure 2 :is 'a lcross-sectional view -taken nsubstantially-along the plane Aci line 2-2 of Figure l;

,Figure 13 is Yan @enlarged Ycross-.sectional view italien vsubstant'ia'llv along the plane of line 3-3 `inlligiireZ and representing the flocking means :in :unlocked pusiticn, thebinder cover :being -inclined .in some :such Yposition ias indicated vfin vFigure V1:;

Figure U14 "is another enlarged 4cross-:sectional 4view -taken substantially along the -lne lll-'4 1in FiginezZ, tozillustrate the pin and slot connections for rthe ,operating bar;

Figure 5 iis an enlarged cross-sectional view 35 of sa :modified :form tof :looking means `also illustrating Yan 'alternative-structure tor fastening the `'same tothe zcoverfthe'section here being taken transvensely ni `.the `locking kmeans at .a point Where a post is adaptedito'enterwthe same;

Figure 6 :a perspective view of Athe smodied formz'of kicking mechanism rpartly broken away to illustrate :one :of the 'slots .in :the :operati-ng bar.; sand Figures 17 :and 8 are -cross-.sectional views on 45 enlarged scale taken substantially :along ,the

planes y-of lines 'lql ,zand 8 8, respectively, .of Figure 6.

Referring now to Figures il A{Lo-4, 'the binder comprises, generally, acover i4, a bar v|'5 con- 50 .nected with and zcarried by .the cover, posts I6 .-securedto said barfand-adapted for .receivingand holding suitably perforated papersheets or loose eaves -=l8 rand :a v.locking runit; lla vreleasably 4co- .:Qperating with said posts to .retain the paper f Vt5 .sheets thereon. 'flheyposts .i6 .are of well known (Cl. 12S-8) construction and-comprise aninternally'threaded .sleeve 20 riveted :at :22 to :bar` I5, and fhav-ing .a threaded stud `2:3 .screwed thereinto which provides `for adiustment when necessary yfor @accommodating a Vlarger number of ypaper .sheets than could otherwise be kept in :the binder. :Lf no adjustments were :possible the :number of sheets `that could be accommodated would then Vbe determinedzby the length vvof iposts I6.. The threaded stud fis provided with an enlarged=head ,f1-0 v2li -having aperipheral fgroovej25 therein :for-nooperaticn with the :locking :uni-t 1,9 ias "will .hereinafter appear. Bar 451s lf-lingedlysecuredftofthe zcover, preferably tby the 'cover fabric, :.or .in any other isui-table manner as :ma-y -be :convenient :to r1.5 allow pivotal or swinging movement -of :the posts lwhenthe .binder ,is'opened Lor fclosed ffcriuse.

A :second :ba-r 2.6 is ,placed gupon the-:stack :of paper asheets at the lopposite side thereof from said rst bar., fand @likewise contains `:apertures 20 for permitting -theisa-meto pass-.over `the :free vends of the posts -I-6. -Bar :26, however, @is provided with sleeves 21 which :are ssecured thereto coincident with said apertures, thepurpose of the sleeves 4being to cover the rposts and the threaded L25 studs-so as toguard the Vfpaperfrom possibleengagement with the fthreads of the studs .tof eliminate tearing :andto -snugly fit into Zthe lopenings in theustacknf sheets,whi'chzare snormalltr larger than'the post diameters, to preventlateralshifting vof therpaperzsheets relativeto eachiother.

Referring fnow imore specifically :towthe .locking unit `I-9, the -samewcornprises-a Vbar .28, :hingedly connected with the :binder cover by :means .of .the cover fabric for l-ley any otherfsuitablemeans" such-as .a fabric 'member 29, :anda latch .ba-r 30 for releasably cooperating withrthe; .posts el 6. The Alatch bar is yslidablycan'iedfby'the binder fcover in any suitable way, preferably bymounting it within na suitably formed :sleeve3-2, the latter "being fastened to 'bar .28 by means fof eyelets 33. The latch bar iis thus adaptedftcbermoved upf'ondown, i. e. .lengthwise of the sheets, aand -its length `is ysuch that its :ends-.extend azshortdistance lbevond the .ends of .the sleeve and the top and bottom margins l of the sheets, fas'shown fin Fig. ilfsofthat, 'as vhereinafter described,-itfiszshiftable by fan endwise push :into .eitheritsrilocking Lor its unlocking position. In :the arrangement villustrated, :the latch bar isiprovided with'rslots 34 through which the eyelets project, the .length :of the Slots-determining the Vmovement of the :latchxbar relative toits retaining v,sleeve .32. Openings lare .providedin one '.vvall lof the fsleeve 32 .through which the .heads .24 Jof .the studs extend. '-:Clearancelffor the studs is provided by embossing the other wall of the sleeve outwardly opposite the openings 35 as shown at 36. The embossing and stamping out of the openings is performed while the stock for forming the sleeve is still at, the stock being thereafter manipulated into the final shape as best illustrated in cross-section in Figure 3. The amount of clearance provided for the studs may be varied to suit, but in the present form of locking unit the distance between the inner face of the embossed portion and the center line of the sleeve opening is made substantially equal to the distance from the outer face of the stud head to the center of the peripheral groove. This assures the engagement of the latch bar with said peripheral groove in the manner hereinafter to be described. By so embossing the sleeve,'it provides a convenient construction for opening and closing the binder when sheets are to be removed or replaced, since the operator need not waste time in hunting or trying to place the posts in a position to obtain the' above referred to registry. The holding unit is merely placed over the posts and. held abuttingly thereagainst for a moment until the latch bar is operated to lock the paper upon the posts.

'Ihe latch bar 30 is provided with keyhole slots 31 so disposed as to have the enlarged portions thereof in registry with the openings 35 of the sleeve when the bar is in one position to allow the insertion of the heads of the studs. Movement of the bar to its other position will cause the narrow portion of the slots 3l to engage the peripheral grooves 25 of the heads, thereby locking the paper sheets into the book or binder upon the paper-holding posts.

'Ihe latch bar of the present construction is provided at its ends with ears or tabs 38 which provide convenient nger-pieces to take the end thrust-when the latch bar is operated. By turning these tabs down so that they overlie the adjacent margins of the sheets they are out'of the way of the cover. Since, as has been said, the

-latch bar is slightly longer than the sleeve and the sheets, it may be moved endwise in one direction or the other, either by a downward push on the upper tab, or by an upward push on the lower tab, depending on its originalposition. Preferably the keyhole slots 31 are so disposed that unlocking is eifected by a downward push and locking by an upward push. The eyelets 33 and slots 34 are preferablyof such dimensions that they function to limit the lengthwise movement of the bar, and prevent the tabs from striking the edges of the paper sheets. Thus, the tabs are always disposed in spaced relation to the sheets to also prevent the same from striking or scrapingthe sheets While the book is in use and the pages are being turned.

VThis form of locking unit presents a perfectly the binder, they arereadily accessible for locking or unlocking purposes. Another advantage of the push-to-open and push-to-close type of latch bar is as follows. The sleeve carrying such bar can be made of spring material, or may, in any other suitable manner, be made to grip the latch bar tightly to prevent displacement of the latter and accidental loosening and dislocation of the sheets from within the binder. And yet, the bar is easily operable with practically no exertion on the part of the operator and with facility by merely pushing one or the other of the tabs to move the bar into latching or unlatching position.

In Figure 5, a locking unit is illustrated which is of somewhat simpler construction from that of the above described form, and also, of reduced thickness.' I-Iere, the bar 28 of the preceding form has been eliminated and sleeve 32 is directly enclosed by the cover fabric 29, or other suitable attachment means, for hingedly connecting the locking unit with the cover. In this form a latch bar 30a substantially similar to bar 30 may be utilized, and in this instance, the fabric 29 has only one wall thereof vperforated as at 29a concentrically with openings 35 in the sleeve so that the posts I6 may pass therethrough and into the sleeve openings to be engaged by the locking unit.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, a sleeve 40 is utilized which is manipulated out of flat stock by providing an upstanding edge 4I as a guide for the latch bar 30a, and by overlapping the remainder of the stock as best illustrated in cross-section in Figure 7, to form the completed sleeve. Although any suitable material may be used for this sleeve, I prefer to use a spring material and to normally form the sleeve with the upper wall thereof as a continuation of the lower wall which is carried around as best indicated in Figure 7. 'Ihe upper wall 42 is bent slightly inwardly towards the lower wall 43. YWhen the latch bar 30a is then inserted between the aforesaid two walls a clamp action is obtained to frictionally hold the latch bar in whatever position it may be made to occupy. This guards against accidental unlocking of the latching bar from the paper-holding means or posts I6. This sleeve is likewise provided with openings 35, which are located in wall 43, and with embossed portions 36 contained in the wall 42 and in alignment with openings 35 for the same purpose as hereinbefore set forth. In Figure 8, one of the posts I6 is illustrated in dotted lines. 'Ihe latch bar 30a is provided with keyhole slots 31a and the ends of the bar are beaded as at 44, in place of the tabs 38 of the preceding form for latching and unlatching the bar. A projection 45, formed out of the bar material, rides in a longitudinal slot 46 in the sleeve whereby endwise movement of said bar is limited.

From the foregoing description it is seen that the binders of my construction are provided with efficient paper-holding means composed of few and inexpensive parts which are easily manufactured and assembled at low cost.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made in the various forms hereinbefore described without departing from the metes and bounds of the present invention. Therefore, I do not intend to be strictly limited to the specific structures disclosed and described, but only insofar as the appended claims are so limited.

What I claim is:-

1. The combination with a loose leaf binder having a cover and contents-holding posts secured thereto, of a locking unit for holding the contents up'on said posts comprising a sleeve having openings therein for the reception of the heads of said posts and a slidable latch bar carried within the sleeve and adapted for engage-'- ment with and disengagement from said heads, said bar having downturned ends disposed adjacent the contents of said binder whereby the bar may be operably manipulated into and out of latching engagement with said posts, and cooperable means connected with said sleeve and said bar respectively, for limiting the movements of the latter to prevent the downturned ends thereof from striking the contents of the binder, one of said cooperative means comprising means for fastening said sleeve to said cover.

2. The combination with a loose leaf binder having a cover and contents-holding posts secured thereto, of a locking unit for holding the contents upon said posts comprising a sleeve and a slidable bar operable lengthwise within said sleeve to lockingly engage and disengage said posts, said sleeve comprising a lower wall having an upstanding edge disposed along one edge thereof to guide said bar, and an upper wall connected with the other edge of said lower wall for guiding said bar, said upper wall having frictional contact with said bar to hold the same in locking engagement with said posts.

3. In combination with a loose leaf binder having a pair of cover members and contents-holding posts secured to one of the cover members, of a locking unit for holding the contents upon said posts comprising a sleeve having openings therein for the reception of said posts, and a. slidable locking bar carried within the sleeve for engaging and disengaging said postsand having slots therein, a hinge member fastened to the other of said cover members, means for securing the sleeve to said hinge member and projecting through said locking bar slots to limit endwise movement of said bar relative to the sleeve, and means at the ends of the bar and rigid therewith for operably manipulating said bar Vinto and out of locking engagement with said posts.

ARTHUR M. BARRE'I'I. 

